PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

This cumulative dissertation is dedicated to a differentiated analysis of the evidence base of interventions that promote Mental Health Literacy (MHL) in childhood and adolescence. The current state of research in this area is presented in four publications and the present overarching framework. The research interest in MHL promotion derives mainly from it being one of the factors for strengthening mental health. The preventative potential of MHL plays a central role in childhood and adolescence. Although across the life course, young age is characterized with a good health status, it is also a vulnerable time for the development and consolidation of mental health problems. Thus, early intervention measures are essential for healthy development over the life course. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to describe and develop the basis of intervention research that fosters MHL in children and adolescents based on a critical examination of definitions and understandings of MHL. Building on the conceptual part in which the constituting dimensions of the MHL concept are described, a detailed examination of the effectiveness as well as the implementation modalities and contexts of MHL interventions are showcased. The key findings from the publications included in the dissertation can thus be divided into an analytical section (publication 1 and 2) and an empirical section (publications 3 and 4). A key conclusion of the analytical process is that MHL promotion is particularly relevant in adolescence and should take place in settings where young people live and grow up. The school setting has proved to be a frequently used access point. Beyond the results of the individual publications, the potentials and the limitations of MHL promotion and further school-based health promotions are critically examined. Additionally, the publication findings point towards limitations in the conceptualization of MHL. It can be assumed that the lack of a theoretical foundation or the absence of an MHL model has a negative impact on intervention research. Describing the interaction and interrelationships of the constituting dimensions of MHL, informed by theoretically sound assumptions represents a central desideratum for further research. The results of the empirical section show initial positive long-term effects of MHL interventions in terms of knowledge and different types of stigma. Variations in the effectiveness can be observed based on the type of intervention. While these findings derive from internationally applied MHL interventions, another publication in this iv dissertation shows how an MHL intervention can be successfully adapted and translated for the German school context. The evaluation of the adapted MHL intervention shows that various areas of mental health knowledge and the confidence to ask for help in the event of a mental health problem can be significantly improved. A focused classification of the findings of the publications is provided, particularly in the overarching framework by contrasting them with current research results as well as putting the relevance of MHL promotion in the broader context of the framework of the social determinants of mental health.